Widow of slain Negros gov ‘pained’ by Teves acquittal
BACOLOD CITY—The Maila Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) acquittal of former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. in connection with the killing of a former provincial board member is “painful and difficult to accept,” Rep. Janice Degamo said over the weekend.
“This morning, it was brought to my attention that Arnie Teves has been acquitted in one of the murder cases filed in relation to incidents that occurred in 2019,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
She noted that the ruling does not change the fact that multiple court trials are still ongoing for other 2019 murder cases, as well as for the Pamplona massacre that claimed the life of her husband, Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
“Those proceedings continue, and so does our pursuit of accountability,” she said.
Degamo added that she stands in solidarity with the families of all the victims.
“I remain committed to supporting them as they continue to seek justice through the proper legal processes. Our pain is shared, our resolve is collective, and our voices will not be silenced by setbacks along the way,” she wrote.
‘Not always swift’
Degamo added: “Justice is not always swift, and it is never easy, but I believe it will prevail. For my husband. For every victim. For every family left behind. We will continue to hope, to endure, and to fight for truth and justice.”
Earlier, Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, confirmed that the Manila RTC Branch 15 handed down the acquittal of Teves and coaccused Richard Cuadra and Rolando Pinili on Jan. 5.
The three men were cleared of charges related to the 2019 murder of Miguel Lopez Dungog, a former provincial board member of Negros Oriental.
In its ruling, the court found that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient initial evidence to support the case against the defendants, leading to the dismissal of the charges.
